Page 152 of Stay Scared

“Exactly.”

His fingers move toward the nearest page. He straightens one corner that had shifted over another. I notice.

“What do you like when there isn’t an operational purpose attached to it?”

“I like reading.”

“What?”

“Technical histories, mostly.”

I point at him. “Work wearing glasses. Try again.”

His eyes narrow.

“Food,” I say.

“I eat.”

“That wasn’t the question.”

“I do not have strong preferences.”

“You absolutely have strong preferences. You have opinions about how long silence should last before another human being becomes psychologically uncomfortable.”

“That is different.”

“Do you put ketchup on eggs?”

The look he gives me could shut down a lesser attraction.

“That means yes.”

“It means the question is offensive.”

I laugh. Ash straightens the same paper again. This time I watch his hand.

“You do that when you don’t want to answer.”

His fingers stop on the corner.

“Do what?”

“Fix something that isn’t crooked.”

“It was crooked.”

“It moved about a quarter of an inch.”

“That qualifies.”

“You did it twice.”

Ash looks down at his hand, then removes it from the page entirely. The tiny retreat delights me.

“There you are.”

“Do not start.”